Christian arrested in Canada for preaching and praying

Canada (MNN) — 33 year old Artur Pawlowski will be in a Canadian court tomorrow, answering disturbing the peace, trespassing and other charges. The charges stem from a run-in with police last month while preaching and praying aloud on a Calgary sidewalk.

With support from area churches, Pawlowski reaches out to the needy by taking the church to them. He preaches to drug dealers, homeless and street kids who congregate in a local park. He’s been threatened by drug dealers because often their clients turn away from drugs when they come to Christ.

According to reports, because of threats, he started video taping the street events.

Last month, he decided to begin preaching to tarot card readers and other fortune tellers who had set up shop as part of a festival near the park. Video shows he was calm when the vendors became agitated. Event organizers called police and Pawlowski and his brother David were asked not to talk to the vendors again. They agreed and left.

Just a few days later they returned to pray, far away from the vendors. However, the vendors called police anyway. Video shows Pawlowski standing on the sidewalk with his hands in his pockets, calmly asking police why they’re harassing him.

Six police officers arrested him. He spent a night in jail as a result. Pray that the charges will be dropped in a country that claims religious freedom.